A Wonderful Semester in Scotland August 31, 2026
By Skye B (Sociology and English, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/12/2026 to 05/25/2026 with
University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned to trust myself and I gained independence, as a student and as a traveler. I think it was very worth it, I came back as a more self-assured person with a ton of cool stories of riding camels in Morocco, hiking up to Sintra in Lisbon, and frolicking up Arthur's Seat in Scotland.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I thought that the academic rigor was excellent-- we covered a variety of topics not available at my home university and the assignments were manageable. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
There were some problems getting classes related to my major, but drop-in hours were helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Great housing situation, a lot of flatmates, but Robertson's Close was cozy and in a great location. |
| * Food: |
I heard that the dining hall food wasn't great, but I cooked my own meals so that wasn't a problem. Sainsbury's meal deals were a lifesaver. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I had a lot of Scottish and British friends by the end of the program and I even attended a tartan fair! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I loved my program-- I made a ton of friends, reconnected with my high school best friend who's a vet student in Edinburgh, and experienced a vastly different campus culture than Wellesley's, which was special and lovely in its own way. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
4, it wasn't that expensive, my accomodation and food costs were surprisingly low. Traveling with friends was rather expensive. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 100/week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Do your best to buy food on-sale and book flights early if traveling. Also, invest in a good budget airline sized backpack to avoid excess fees (you can get them for about 20 bucks in a charity store). |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | It will be alright... you'll find your place and meet a lot of people who will turn into lifelong friends. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
